Once Upon a Time
by averyhyperhanyou
Summary: "Fair maiden, you know not of what you speak. I merely do what I can to survive, take comfort in the fact I don't kill woman… Especially those as enchanting as yourself." She screamed. "Stop calling me that!" A Tale of The Kingdom Of Konoha.
1. The Boy Who Was Lost

I in no way Own any of the characters or themes associated with Naruto, the rest of this story however is my own, and I own all rights to creative ideas expressed within. That is all.

So this idea just came to me while watching, believe it or not, Your Highness. Yeah, I know, but still, I have no knowledge of anyone using this premise for a story before, and I love the idea of it. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do.

I bring you chapter 1~

Once Upon a Time

Chapter 1

Once upon a time, the legends of old tell the tale of a brave man. Born a stable boy, he fought his way through the Great Third War, rising up through the ranks. His tale of bravery and might where beheld by all, and his strength was known to even the most fearsome of enemies. The King of the land, Sarutobi, watched the young boy grow into a man, and when the time was right, named him King of Konoha. Having had no children himself, Sarutobi was the only one who could choose a valiant and worthy successor, and through the many trails and battles this young man had fought, Sarutobi alone deemed him worthy of the title of King.

He ruled with a fair and just hand for many years, along the way meeting a fair maiden to whom he became engaged. Her hair shone the brightest of red, and her nature entrapped him, amazed him. The kingdom rejoiced, and Sarutobi watched on in joy, as the young couple grew very fond of each other. The two where madly in love, the very stars above seemed to shine brighter when one held there company.

But this time of peace, of love, was not to last.

Far in the lands of the east, a Great Wizard named Madara was gathering his army. He struck out against the peaceful Kingdom of Konoha, battling his way across the Lands, until His army of beasts was at the gates of The Great Castle. The battle waged, for many days and many nights, until The King of the land lead a valiant charge from the gates, spear heading his way into the middle of the Army, to strike Madara down. With their Master gone, the beast's that made up his army lost control, and fled before the might of the king. Peace returned to the land, and all was well once again.

But Madara, He was not as dead as everyone believed.

Barely alive and wounded terribly, he fled to the farthest reaches of the kingdom, and there he lay, gathering power. He slowly built his Army back up, but this time, instead of lashing out at those he had perceived as wronging him, he hesitated. He knew, of course, of the might of the king, and so he slowly planed. Through his studies of the Darkest of Magic's, He learned of Beasts so terrible, So Fearsome, they where only spoken of in the whispers of the night, in the farthest darkest corners of the world. And so he went out into the world, seeking the power of these beasts, so that he might tame them and use them as his own, to strike down the King.

After searching and searching for many years, he found one.

The legend states that sixteen years ago, in the northern mountains of the Kingdom of Konoha, A terrible beast, Summoned by the great dark wizard Madara, attacked. It tore its way through the outlying villages, destroyed any whom dared to stand in its path, till the fearsome beast reached the very gates of the Castle of Konoha itself. The King, a great and fearsome warrior, alone stood against this beast, and with the help of his aid, defeated the beast in combat, but sacrificed his own life in the process. This, my friends, is what the villagers where lead to believe. But the truth was a very different story.

The castle was in turmoil, solders and knights running around in a great panic, children crying out for their mothers in fright, seeming to sense the horrid nature of the beast descending upon them. Men said goodbye to their wives, before mounting their horses and setting out to face the terrible power that had befallen there kingdom. Minato, the King of the Lands, stood watching over the courtyard of the great castle, his eyes drawn far into the Distance.

The Kyuubi.

He could see the terrible beast from here, its colossal form towering over the landscape, as his army valiantly tried to stave it off. Biting his lip, he went over the thoughts in his head. Battle plans entered his mind, only to flee just as quickly as they came. He could see no alternative to the plan his great wizard had devised, but in doing so he would leave this world. Sighing, his head moving to the armor he wore, he let his hand trail softly over his family crest.

A cough behind him made him turn his way slowly to face one of his generals, Kakashi. Though still only a child, Kakashi was a born leader, and one of the fiercest warriors in the army. Motioning for Kakashi to step forward, Minato looked over at the Kyuubi once more, before speaking.

"What is it Kakashi?" Kakashi let his eyes trail slowly to the man who had once been his teacher, and was now one of his greatest friends, before he spoke, looking at the beast.

"Our forces are unable to drive it back, its pushing its way through Lord Hiashi's Land as we speak, and his Hyuuga are unable to contain it… what are you going to do my lord?" Kakashi spoke, seeing his king bite his lip. He knew the power the king held, and he could only hope that the king had a plan to defeat this terrible beast.

Minato stared at the beast, his hands gripping the railing as he looked upon it. His mind was consumed, thoughts of his new born child and his wife flooding into his mind. It was the only choice he had, and at least Kushina would be there to take care of him. Sighing he turned to Kakashi, before he spoke.

"Command our forces to fall back to the Castle, and summon my scribe. I will deal with the beast." Kakashi looked at his commander skeptically, but seeing the seriousness on his face, nodded and turned away.

"As you command, my lord."

Minato turned his gaze back to the great beast, only one thought penetrating his mind.

'I hope you can forgive me for what I must do, my son.'

That night, fighting the terrible nine tailed fox, Minato, King of Konoha, knew with all his heart and soul that he would be unable to defeat such a beast. So, he had his aid, in the hours before the great battle, conduct an almost forgotten ritual. Taking his new born son, he faced the beast and fought. After many hours, the beast was finally worn down enough that the ritual could take place, and in doing so, Minato gave his life to seal away the power of the beast into his son. Feeling the strength leave his body, he looked with sad eyes upon his son, and knew that the beast was well and truly defeated.

"Naruto, my boy… I am sorry I won't be there to watch you grow up... I can only hope Sarutobi will protect you... And you will always have Kushina" The child, of course, only stared at the man in a childlike delight, unknowing that his father's life was quickly leaving him. Minato, looking to his Squire, spoke once more, "Take him… Back to the Castle… and let no one know of the sealing of the beast into him…"

"Of course, my lord." The Squire spoke, before lifting the boy up and turning to rush towards the castle. Minato watched him go, a small smile on his lips, as his final thoughts drifted into his mind.

'Someday my boy… you will be king.'

The squire hurried towards the castle, the small bundle wrapped protectively in his grip, when suddenly pain flared in his back. He stumbled, and fell to one knee, gasping out in light pain as he moved his free hand to his back. Withdrawing it, he saw it was stained in blood, and glancing over his shoulder he saw a knife. His eyes widening, he stood suddenly and made to run for the castle, when his life was cut short.

The man behind him let his blade fall, cleaning it on the cloth around his body, before picking the small child off the ground and speaking, his voice but a whisper, lost upon the cold winter winds of the night.

"I have great plans for you, child. Great plans indeed."

At the same time, an assassin slipped into the bedchambers of the Queen, and silently in the night, he slit her throat. Making his way out, slipping into the Chaos that surrounded the castle, he vanished into the night air.

Several hours later, her body would be discovered, as well as the missing child. Sarutobi, after returning to the mantle of King, sent out search parties to locate who had committed this terrible deed, but it was all for naught. The assassin, along with the child who was taken, vanished without a trace, like smoke in the heavy wind.

To this day, there is still talk among the people of the great kingdom, of the boy who was taken. They dubbed him The Lost King, and many still held out hope that one day he would return, his sword gleaming and his armor bright, to lead them once more in the years to come.

But the child never returned, the mantle of King remained on the aged Sarutobi's shoulders, and ever so slowly, the search parties stopped. The whispers faded away to nothing but stories, told to children before they went to bed.

The Lost King was gone, yes, but not truly forgotten.

And Thus, Begins our story.

-16 Years Later-

It was dark, the air thick and cold in the winter nights of the northern mountains. He yawned softly, his eyes gazing outwards from the battlements of the castle walls, into the darkness that permeated the area. Guard duty was always so boring, but he was trained better then to let his attention lax from what he was assigned to do.

He let his eyes wander over the scars in the land, created sixteen years ago in the struggle against the beast, where the king had fallen. It was strange to him, that one of only minor noble blood could become king, but as the current king had no blood relatives alive, it made some sense. Still, he would not dwell on matters of royalty.

A movement in the dark caught his eye, and he hefted his spear into his grip, his eyes narrowing to see if there was anything there. The movement happened again, and this time he recognized it as a small animal moving across the ground. Sighing he let his spear fall to a stand down position, and relaxed, his eyes returning to scanning the land. Really, he felt like he was getting far too old for this.

Even though he felt that way, and even though this was just one of many minor castle situated throughout the land, and not even the great castle of Konoha itself, he knew that his duty was an important one. He saw another movement, there in the darkness, and his spear once more returned to its grip.

"Probably just another animal" He muttered to himself, straining to see what was in the dark. A flutter of something caught his eye, and he looked towards the forest edge, his eyes widening at what they saw.

A Man.

Something tickled at his spine, his instincts screamed for him to move, and so he did. Just in time too, as a blade sailed where he had just been standing. Turning to look to his left, he saw a small boy, standing there holding a blade. Opening his mouth to raise the alarm, he had to wait as the boy charged at him. Thrusting his spear forward, he was utterly shocked when the boy leapt over it, and landed on it. His grip kept it from being pushed down immediately, which was his demise. As the spears head traveled towards the ground under the boy's weight, the boy thrust his sword out, catching the guard in his stomach. He let out a chocked gurgle before he slumped over, the life leaving his eyes.

The boy's eyes narrowed as he watched the guard fall, before lifting the large man up and throwing him over the walls. Down below, another man dragged the body out of sight, before the boy continued on his way. He watched the ground, waiting for the clouds in the air to move across the moonlight, before darting his way into the empty courtyard of the castle. He had to move quickly, for at any second one of the guards patrolling the wall could turn around and see him. Reaching the castle walls he tried the door, but found it was locked.

Cursing under his breath, he looked up at the walls and frowned. It was a long way up, and it would take time, but the cloak he wore around him would cover him well, and blend in with the wall. Sighing gently, he let his hands settle into a few hand holds, before he started his ascent.

It took him just over two hours, with numerous pauses as guards looked upwards at slight sounds, to make it to the top of the main tower. Poking his head over the battlements he frowned seeing a guard with his back turned to him. This close to the Lords chambers they would undoubtedly station a better trained guard. One who would scream the second they detected an intruder, no matter the circumstance. Letting his body slip over the battlements, he settled against the wall just as the man turned around.

Hidden in the shadows, the boy stayed as still as he could. He knew that when caught most people's instincts where to move, thinking the person had caught them. In truth, most people who think they saw something would focus too hard on the area, missing the small signs of someone behind there. The guard was no exception.

He stared long and hard at the area the boy occupied, but after several seconds turned away, satisfied that there was nothing of interest in that area. The boy sat there with baited breath, till the guard was a ways away, before slipping to the door into the main castle. Closing it quietly behind him, he let his eyes dart back and forth in the dark, before he made his way down a barely lit corridor. He knew his way around the Castle, of course he did, and he had studied the layout of the castle for weeks in order to attempt this. Letting his body move to the wall, he peeked his head around a corner, only to draw it back quickly.

Two guards.

Growling out softly, he backed up when he heard them start to head his way, and dipped quietly into a bedroom. Turning around, he stopped suddenly, confronted with a blonde haired girl looking at him. The girl took in his clothing, before her eyes widened slightly in alarm. The boy dashed forward, letting his hand clap over her mouth, before he whispered gently into her ear.

"Shhhh…" The girl nodded softly, and he moved behind her, keeping his hand over her mouth. He could hear the guards outside, they had stopped and where standing outside the door. Eyes narrowing ever so slightly, the boy spoke once more, "I'm going to take my hand off, but if you so much as try to alert the guards, I will not hesitate to slit your throat, understood?"

The girl nodded softly, before feeling the weight of the boys hand leave her mouth. He was obviously an intruder, which was bad, but he didn't seem out to hurt her, so she decided to do as he said. Feeling his breath against her back, calm and steady, she blushed lightly before she spoke quietly.

"Who are you? What do you want?" The boy said nothing for a time, before he spoke gently in her ear once more.

"Who I am matters not to one such as you, fair maiden, but may I ask the name of one so beautiful?" the girl blushed harder, his voice speaking into her ear, and she knew he was having a fun time teasing her. Taking a deep breath to compose herself, she waited a second before she spoke.

"Ino… Ino Yamanaka." The boy seemed to stiffen slightly behind her, before he relaxed once more. The voices of the guards where drawing away and she felt him grasp her hands before speaking once more.

"Well, Ino, It has been my utmost pleasure, but I must take my leave now."

It happened so fast. One second she was held there by him, the next she felt cloth wrap around her hands and tighten, and another clothe move over her mouth to muffle her voice. Eyes widening, she felt him lift her up before placing her on her bed. Her eyes darted to him, and she managed to catch a small glimpse of blonde hair, before he bowed and left the room.

'What a strange boy.'

The boy let his head peek out the door, before determining it was safe, and slipping into the corridor. Making his way down the hallway, he checked around another corner and was this time very relieved to see no one in it. Moving down it, careful to stick to the shadowy walls, he drew closer and closer to his intended destination.

'Just around this corner.'

Peeking his head around the corner, he bit back the urge to curse once more. Two guards were stationed outside of the bed chambers he needed to get into, and he knew the only way in would be to go through them. Dipping back behind the corner, he stood for a second in silent contemplation before he rubbed his head. He had no idea how to go about this, and he let his head fall silently backwards against the cold hard stone of the castle, his eyes gazing upwards.

He grinned.

The two guards stood outside the doorway, the late night taking its toll on them, but they remained vigilant. Coughing gently, one guard looked to his left, spotted a cat, and sighed, before turning back forward. Then he heard a noise.

"Aye, did you hear that?" The other guard stiffened, before he strained his hearing to see if he could hear anything. After a period of silence, he spoke.

"I din't 'ear nuffin." Both guards relaxed, and let their eyes travel forward.

The boy dropped, silently, in between them, and as they both turned towards him, he slipped two daggers into his hand, and flashed them both out sidewise. They cut deep into the guard's unprotected necks, slicing far into the soft tissue, severing the vocal chords just as he had been trained. The blood in their throats would keep them muffled, but no point in not having extra insurance. Glancing down at the two bodies, one still alive with his eyes filled with terror, he let his hand move to the door handle, before he opened it softly. He had little time.

Pausing as he opened the door slightly, he waited to see if his movements or the guard's death had disturbed the one sleeping inside. After a short period he heard nothing, so he moved inside the doorway and let his body slip into the shadows once more. Eyeing the bed in front of him, he moved slowly to it.

Moving forward, he crept slowly to the edge of the bed, and pushed the silk curtains to the side, before sparing a quick glance to make sure his target was in the bed. There, a lump under the blankets, about the size of a man. The still bloodied daggers in his hand dripped softly onto the floor, the noise barely audible over the sound of the fire in the torches. Taking a deep breath, he thrust the dagger into the lump, only to curse as a burst of feathers shot into the air. His spine tickled, and he jumped back, just in time to dodge a sword thrust from the lord.

"Interesting, I had received word that an Assassin might be coming after me, but to see one so young. This is indeed an interesting development. Lord Inoichi, at your service." Inoichi bowed softly, his head dipping low in front of the boy, as he smiled softly.

The boy growled softly, before he spoke gently.

"Nothing personal old man, just doing my job." Inoichi chuckled at his statement, before lifting his sword upwards and motioning for the boy to attack him, his fingers clinking in the armor he wore.

He was not disappointed.

The boy reached into his cloak suddenly, pulling out two short swords and charging. Thrusting his sword forward, Inoichi watched his target slip around his sword strike and launch his blades at his neck. Leaning back, Inoichi let the blades pass by his face before lifting his foot and shooting it outwards to kick the boy in the chest. The boy flipped upwards and over his foot, landing to the right of Inoichi, who twisted his sword in his grip and sent a slash at the boy.

Leaping backwards, the boy let the blade sail past him harmlessly, before leaping backwards and landing on his hands, twisting his body around and standing upright he looked at Inoichi, who only motioned him forward once more. Growling out, the boy launched himself at the man, his foot shooting out to kick him in the face. But Inoichi lifted his hand, blocking the kick, before thrusting his sword forward. The boy, still mid air, twisted his body and let his hand push down on the flat of the blade, redirecting it towards the ground. Thrusting his own sword forward, he watched as it drew closer to his target, only to be disappointed when the man leaped backwards, the heavy armor he wore seeming to be naught but a feather on the imposing man. The man's blade disappearing from under his hand caused him to stumble forward slightly.

Inoichi, seeing the boy falter in his step, lunged forward, his sword moving out to cut into the boy's neck. But the boy saw it coming, and moved his blade into the way just in time. There was a resounding crash, the sound of metal on metal heard loudly throughout the room.

The boy heard voices from outside the door, no doubt drawn there by the sound of the blades, and biting his lip he spared one last glance at Inoichi, before he leapt backwards and out the window. The guards burst into the room not a second later, and Inoichi just looked at them before he spoke, his voice loud and harsh over the sound of their armor.

"In the courtyard!"

The boy hit the battlements suddenly, before lifting himself upwards and starting towards the stairs down into the courtyard. He stopped, suddenly, when he saw a group of solders coming up them, before turning around and seeing more coming from behind him. Growing softly, and biting his lip, he let one of his blades slide slowly out of there scabbards, just as the guards reached him. Glancing to his left, then his right, the boy spoke softly.

"Well, come on then, I don't have all bloody day." One of the guards growled out at this, before he launched himself at the boy. The rest where soon to follow behind him, and all the guards slowly started to converge on the boy in front of them.

The boy watched the first guard reach him, before reaching out and gripping his spear, pulling it forward and past him into the gut of a guard that attacked him on the other side, before he let his body slide along the length of the spear. Placing one hand on the attacking guards back, he lifted him up and over his shoulders, tossing him over the battlements, before he quickly spun around the sword lunge of another guard. Gripping the guard's hand, he turned it backwards, before pulling said guards arm behind his back. Using the guards arm, he deflected a sword strike, before pulling roughly on the sword and breaking the man's arm. Turning around quickly, he let the sword flash outwards, impacting the base of the neck of the guard, and watched the man crumple.

Moving one more around another spear lunge, he kicked his foot out and caught the attacking guard in the face, and heard the satisfying crunch of the bone breaking, before he turned to face the other guards. Dashing at the closest one, the boy let his sword impact the man's stomach, spearing him through, before he turned once more and caught the hand of a guard swinging his sword at him from behind. Kicking the man off his sword, he twisted his body and brought his sword out along the guard he had caught stomach, watching his blood seep out suddenly. Letting the man drop, the boy stood there, as the other guards seemed to get more cautious in how they dealt with him. Frowning, and knowing he had little time, the boy glanced over the battlements, before grinning. One of the guards with a spear lunged at him, but the boy jumped over the strike, and landed on one of the battlements softly, before back flipping off it, and disappearing into the night air.

The guards rushed to the wall, and looked over it trying to see if they could find the boy. No sign of him, until one guard shouted out.

"There!"

The boy pulled himself out of the hay pile at the base of the wall, before waving cheekily to the guards, and taking off into the forest. He had just made it into the forest, and was currently snaking his way in and out of trees, when he heard the softest of whistles behind him. Turning his body quickly, his hand shooting upwards, he snatched the arrow intended for his head out of the air, before turning to face the one who had attacked him. His companion, Itachi, had already fled into the night, as was standard practice for their group. If one was captured, it wouldn't compromise the whole guild.

He was shocked, however, when he turned around for the second time only to face the same girl from before. He had thought she was beautiful then, but now, with her eyes alight with fire and a bow in her hand, an arrow already notched and aimed at him, he found her majestic.

"Ahhh, Fair Maiden, what a pleasant surprise." He spoke, his voice jovial and full of mirth. The girl kept her arrow trained on him, the surprise of his earlier feet of catching an arrow hidden deep behind her mask of fury. Growling out, she spoke loudly enough that any guard combing the area for the boy would hear it.

"You tried to kill my father!" She pulled the string of the bow taught, and kept it focused on him, as he seemed to glance away from her.

His eyes, the deepest color of blue she had ever seen, soon found her once more, before he spoke once again.

"I am only doing what I am paid to do. Surely one such as yourself would understand that, fair maiden." He spoke, bowing ever so slightly in front of her. Inside, however, he was sweating. If he didn't deal with the girl now, he could very well be caught. Plans raced inside of his head, none of them seemed like they would work, and less and less came upon him as he heard the heavy clunk of armored guards heading his way.

"Silence! I will see you hanged for your crimes." She spoke, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly at him, "Guards! He's over here!"

As she spoke that, she looked away for one second, which was all the time the boy needed. Suddenly dashing forward, he let his body dip low to avoid the arrow she had released at him, and in less than three seconds reached her. Letting his hand dip upwards, he wrapped it around her neck before pulling his body behind her, and turning it towards the now emerging guards.

"Gentlemen! It would normally be my pleasure to decimate you in combat, but as you can see I have my hands slightly full, "He spoke, indicating the girl in his arms, who was struggling against his grasp. Chuckling gently as he saw the guards stall, he bowed his head once more before he kept speaking, "Of course, if you choose to follow me her life will be forfeit, and it would be a shame to kill one as gorgeous as this. Please, stay here."

With that, he pulled her backwards into the underbrush, fighting against her struggles. A good shot with a boy she may be, but she was never trained to out power someone such as himself, who had been trained from a young age to do what he did. He traveled for awhile, deep into the forest, dragging her along with his hands over her mouth to keep her quiet; till he judged he had moved far enough into the forest they wouldn't be able to track him until daylight fell. Letting his hand off her mouth, he gripped her arm and pulled her along, all the while listening to her shout.

"What on earth do you think you are doing! Unhand me this instant you ruffian, I will not allow you to treat me this way! You will unhand me at once, and let me return to my castl— "She was cut off, suddenly, as the boy rounded on her, and his blue eyes flashed deep blood red for a second. She felt the blood in her veins chill at the sight, and her voice caught in her throat as the boy spoke.

"You will hold your tongue, fair maiden, for you are now the only chance I have of escaping this retched kingdom alive. Once we have traveled beyond the bounds of your kings lands, I will release you. Until then, please do us both a favor and be quiet." His tone left no room for argument, so she just nodded mutely and let him pull her along. Only minutes later they arrived at a large tree with a horse tied to it.

Lifting himself onto the horse, the boy lifted her up after him, before kicking the horse and letting out a soft cry. The horse neighed, before it took off like a rocket into the night. Ino sat on the horse, her arms wrapped around her captor's stomach, her mind a torrent of thoughts.

Hours ago, she had been getting ready to go see her friend in the Great Castle, Sakura, and now here she was, being kidnapped and forced against her will to travel with a boy who could be no older then her, but could kill grown men with such ease. She didn't know exactly what to make of the situation, but she knew that life wouldn't be the same until this boy had finished taking her to wherever it was he was going.

Laying her head against his back, she sighed and felt exhaustion take over her. Feeling her eyelids droop, she suddenly remembered that she didn't know the name of the boy who had taken her. Moving her head up till it was near his ear, she spoke softly.

"If you're going to take me captive, you could at least do me the courtesy of telling me your name." the boy chuckled softly, before he spoke just loud enough to be heard over the din of the horse.

"Naruto." She waited for him to add his surname, but when it seemed he wouldn't, she spoke up her unasked question.

"Naruto what?" The boy turned around and grinned at her, his hood falling off his head as he did so, revealing a boy with sun kissed blonde hair and deep blue eyes. Her eyes felt droopier than ever, and she wondered idly in her confused state as to why.

"No surname, Just Naruto." With that, the girl fell limp against his back, and he chuckled once more. The sleeping powder was effective as always, and she wouldn't wake up for at least the next couple of hours. Urging the horse on faster, Naruto let his mind wander over what had happened in that castle.

And more importantly, how he was going to explain it to his guild leader Pein.

-The Next Day-

Ino stirred, groaning softly as she tried to get more comfortable in her bed. Growling out as it didn't work, she moved to fluff her pillow, but when her hands reached it her eyes shot open. This wasn't her pillow; in fact it wasn't a pillow at all. Letting her eyes travel to what she had in her hands, she recognized the cloak, but from where she didn't know.

Sitting up, she realized she was on the forest floor, and everything came back to her. Meeting the boy in her room, being tied up, breaking out of her bonds in time to hear the shouts of intruder, going to the forest to cut the boy off, and being taken captive.

Looking around, she saw the boy standing not too far off, his back turned to her. This could be her chance. Standing up slowly, she started to sneak her way towards the boy, when his voice stopped her. He was talking to someone.

"—Think I know that? It was the only choice I had; besides, once I reach the border I will release her. All I ask of you, my old friend, is to tell him that I'll be late. I have the situation under control." She peeked her head around the tree to try and catch a glimpse of who he was talking to, only to see an individual dressed as he was last night. The man was standing in front of Naruto, before he spoke himself.

"Alright Naruto, I'll let him know. But you need to be careful; you have a whole country looking for you now." Naruto waved him off, before he replied.

"Bah, you know me, I've gotten out of sticker situations then this." The man grumbled under his breath, something that decided sounded like 'Indeed', before he turned and hopped on his horse. Bidding a farewell to Naruto, he took off into the forest. Now that the man was gone, Ino seized her chance. Leaping at the boy quietly, she brought the rock she had picked up down towards his head.

Naruto felt his spine tingle, and twisted around just enough to let the rock sail past him, before gripping the girls arm and slapping it hard, causing her to drop the rock. Pushing her backwards, he watched her stumble and fall, before he spoke.

"Ahhh, Fair Maiden, you're awake." He said with a smile, while Ino blushed and sputtered indignantly.

"S-stop calling me that!" she huffed slightly, averting her gaze so that he wouldn't see her blush. Naruto chuckled under his breath, before moving to his campfire and turning the rabbits he had caught earlier on it. She moved to sit next to him, but kept her distance, and watched what he was doing. Several minutes went by in silence, before she spoke again, her voice once more taking that haughty tone she so often used with him.

"Why are we sleeping in the forest? Why couldn't we at least go to an inn or something?" She spoke, glaring at him, while idly picking a twig out of her hair. Naruto watched, grinning at her antics, before he opened his mouth and responded.

"I can't do that, and you know that. I have the whole country looking for me as it is, going into a town would be foolhardy, especially while bringing you along, fair maiden." She huffed once more. Of course she knew that, but she was hoping that she would be able to convince him to go into a town, where her chances of escape would be much greater. Watching him turn the rabbits on the fire, she growled before she spoke once more.

"So how does it feel? To kill for a living I mean, must be great knowing people are terrified of you just before you kill them." Naruto stiffened slightly before he laughed, turning to her and speaking, his eyes flashing that blood red color she remembered so clearly.

"Fair maiden, you know not of what you speak. I merely do what I can to survive, and if that means I have to kill in order to watch out for myself, then I will gladly end the life of another. But take comfort in the fact I don't kill woman, especially those as… Enchanting as yourself." She blushed once more, before screaming out angrily.

"Stop calling me that!"

Naruto merely laughed at her outrage, before pulling one of the rabbits off the spit and handing it to her.

"Eat, you need your strength." She looked at the rabbit, before she begrudgingly took it. Letting the aroma of meat travel to her nose, she felt her mouth water slightly, and she suddenly realized how hungry she was. Taking a small tentative bite out of it, she savored the flavor, before taking another small bite.

Naruto watched her out of the corner of his eye, grinning as he saw her eating the rabbit, before he took his own rabbit and took a large bite out of it, chewing it and savoring the flavor. He had eaten nearly all his rabbit when he noticed she was still taking small bites, and he had to stop himself from choking because of his laughter.

She glared at him, her eyes narrowing dangerously, before she spoke under her breath.

"What are you on about now?" Naruto grinned at her, and she fought back a blush once more. Assassin or not, captor or not, he was not in the least bad looking. Naruto finished his bite, before he turned to her and spoke.

"It amazes me, you castle type, always so polite and well mannered, look at you. You've barely touched the rabbit I've given you, small measured bites, so befitting of one of your status Fair Maiden." He chuckled, before taking another bite out of his rabbit. She glared at him, looking at her rabbit once more, "You know, if you don't take larger bites, you'll never truly appreciate the flavor of the meat."

Glaring at him once more, she decided to spite him, and took a large bite out of her rabbit. The flavor flooded her mouth at once, and she felt her eyes widen slightly in surprise at the taste. Naruto grinned softly before he went back to eating, satisfied that she would eat her fill quickly now, before her voice interrupted his thoughts.

"And might I ask where you learned to cook so well, Assassin?" She said, looking at him once more with a glare. Apparently his amusement at her shock at the taste hadn't gone past her, and it had apparently irked her a bit. Smiling softly as he finished his bite, he spoke once more.

"My name is Naruto, Fair Maiden, and when one survives on their own for so long, you naturally strive to make things taste better. I guess I just took it a level above what most would." Ino growled once more at the nick name he had apparently chosen for her, before shooting back her reply.

"If I am Fair maiden, then you are Assassin. Stop calling me Fair Maiden and I'll call you Naruto." Naruto laughed out loud at this, before he leaned closer to her and whispered in her ear.

"Then I guess I'll just have to deal with Assassin, for calling you anything but what you are would be a shame."

She pouted.

-End Chapter 1-

Read and Review, I wanna know what you all think. Also, Unit will be updated soon, so no worries on that. As you can see, I thrust you right into the action on this one, and the whole story line as well as the time line will be explained over the course of the story. So sit back and enjoy.


	2. A Horse Chase and a Guitar

Hey Guys, It's only been a day but I'm already updating. Yaaaaaay. Also, To MikethePokeMaster, Nukumi and Fox-Sama, It brought me great joy to see you all enjoyed my story so much, and its cuz of you three that I pumped this chapter out as quickly as I could. I can't promise daily updates, but I will do my best. Just keep reviewing and I'll keep writing.

I in no way own the song The Cave by Mumford and sons, which is featured briefly in this story. If you haven't heard it, I suggest you go look it up. Great song.

On with the chapter!

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Once Upon A Time

Chapter 2

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Deep in the forest of the kingdom of Konoha, a boy rode on a horse with a girl behind him. Naruto let his eyes wander around the clearing idly, his mind occupied with what he was going to do next. After the events of this morning, he knew that he would have to watch his back around Ino, for her little stunt with the rock could not go unnoticed. Biting his lip idly, he also let his thoughts drift over there dwindling amount of supplies. He had, of course, packed more than enough to get him to the castle and back, but he had not counted on taking a captive along the way.

Ino's own thoughts where on the boy whom had taken her captive and the ways she could escape him and get back to her father. She had tried earlier, in vain, to knock him out with a rock when he was talking to his mysterious companion. She had been more then slightly surprised when the boy had seemed to sense her coming, and had defeated her with all the ease she would command her horse around. It frustrated her to no end to know she was all but helpless in defeating him, but she would not give up.

"Fair maiden, I must confess, you seem slightly irked with me, may I question as to why?" Naruto spoke, grinning under the cowl of his hood. Oh he knew the reason she was irked with him, but he found it amusing and a good way to pass the time when he asked her questions just to see her get riled up.

Ino growled softly, before speaking.

"Why? Why am I irked with you! I'll tell you why, you simpleton! You took me captive! You tried to kill my father! You insist on calling me that… That enduring term when we are in no means on that level! OF COURSE I'M IRKED WITH YOU YOU…YOU…YOU HORSE DUNG!" She stuttered at the end of her insult, unable to think of a good comeback. Naruto let his head fall back slightly before he laughed loudly, speaking with his voice full of humor.

"Horse dung? My Fair Maiden, if you are going to insult someone, do it properly." He said, looking back at her with a smile. Ino blushed, her rage growling even more at how he so callously dismissed her comment. Throwing her hair over her shoulder and sticking her nose up, she spoke once more.

"Oh, and I suppose you're going to educate me on how to properly insult someone?" Naruto grinned before he spoke once more, his eyes set ahead on the path they were on.

"Certainly. Horse dung, while not exactly an insult, is a good prelude to one, "Ino blinked, turning her attention back fully to the boy, "What you should say is something along these lines."

Naruto puffed out his chest, let his head rise up, and looked down his nose at the empty air in front of him.

"You dim-witted half brained Scarlet woman who sleeps with any and all in the horse dung of the stables!" He said, his voice taking on an over fake tone of disgust. Ino couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips, but soon after letting said giggle escape she clapped one hand over her mouth.

"Ahhh so the fair maiden can laugh? And such a beautiful sound it is." Naruto said, grinning softly as he directed his horse to the side slightly to go around a downed tree. Ino pouted once more, before she spoke under her breath.

"Oh shut up you simple minded fool." Naruto let his eyebrow quirk up slightly, before he spoke, a small grin on his face.

"That's much better."

Ino huffed and was about to shout out a reply, when Naruto turned around suddenly and put his hand over her mouth. She squeaked indignantly, and made to bite his hand when the look he sent her silenced her in her tracks.

"Silence… we have company."

She let her eyes travel around, unable to see anything, and for a second thought the boy was losing his mind. But Naruto, his ears trained from a young age to pick up sounds out of place, could hear it. The soft pitter patter of horses around them, moving to circle around them, the barely audible clunk of armored troops descending around them, the clink of crossbow strings being pulled into place. Growling softly, Naruto suddenly kicked the reins of the horse up, before taking off in a full sprint away from them. Ino screeched and gripped around the back of his body as they took off, wondering what had gotten into the boy. She was answered not a second later by the shout of someone she recognized, the head of the guard of her father's castle.

"Stop him! He's getting away!"

Naruto let his body slide with the horse, easily traveling over the ground as he bounced ever so slightly over the horse. Glancing over his shoulder, he could see several horses pulling out around after them, and growled loudly as he urged the horse to go faster. Ino, on the other hand, was not taking it as well. As a high borne of noble blood, the only training she had had on horses was etiquette training, thus she bounced up and down with the gallops the horse was taking.

She thought about letting go, rolling backwards to safety, but the speed at which they were traveling discouraged such an act. Whimpering slightly in fear, she buried her head against Naruto's back; disregarding the fact safety was just meters behind her, her fear overcoming such an act. Naruto, hearing her whimper, glanced down at her before speaking.

"Worry not Fair Maiden, I promise to not let anything happen to you." Ino blushed hearing his comment, and for a second felt safe with this boy. Then she remembered why exactly they were running in the first place, and screamed out at him.

"You foolish boy! You should just give up; my father's horses are some of the fastest in the land! You'll never be able to escape them!" Naruto let his head fall backwards in laughter, before he spoke, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"We shall see, wont we Fair Maiden." With that Naruto urged the horse on even faster. Turning around a corner he let his mind wander backwards to the men, before he saw that they were indeed growing closer. Growling out softly, he looked ahead of him only to see a tree branch in the way. Eyes widening softly, he reached behind him and pushed Ino down against the back of the horse, her body small enough she would barely clear under it, before leaping up onto the back of the horse.

"Stay there!"

Ino looked up to wonder what he was on about, before seeing the tree and once more flatting herself against the bark. Growling softly, she watched the boy and wondered what he was going to do. It took only the seconds between them and the tree to discern what it was.

The boy waited, till the last second, before he leapt into the air and twisted his body around to face the guards behind him. Mid air, he drew out two knives and threw both of them. Twisting his body around, still mid air, he landed perfectly on the horse, having jumped over the log that was impeding their path. Ino stared at him in mute shock for a second, before turning around and seeing two of the many guards chasing them slump down in their horses, before they fell off.

Naruto grinned hearing there heavy bodies hit the ground, before he suddenly pulled on the reigns of his horse and changed direction. In front of him, two more horse riders emerged, trying to cut off his point of escape. Growling out, Naruto made down a different path, and sighed inwardly.

'This path leads to the village…'

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It was a quiet, peaceful day. The peasants when about their business as they always did, the life surrounding them lulled and relaxed.

That all changed in an instant.

Out of the thicket of the forest, a boy shot out on his horse. Peasants all over the village turned at the sound, and wondered idly what could make a boy ride so fast. There questions were answered in a moment, as they saw soldiers shoot out after him. Naruto urged his horse on; leaping over a table situated outside of one of the local inns, and heard more then saw two of the guards fail to make the leap. Grinning, he looked around for a better exit plan then just running. He needed to thin these guards out, a lot.

Naruto shot his horse down the main path in the village, before turning suddenly, and letting it travel into a grain mill. Urging his horse up and over a wooden table, he let it prance along the top of it. Ino, too scared to do anything but watch him, marveled at how easily this boy controlled his horse. The guards, after some fussing with their own horses, followed, but Naruto had gained valuable seconds on them. He felt his eyes trail in front of him, passing by a grinning young boy working in the mill. The boy held up a freshly baked loaf of bread, which Naruto gladly reached down and plucked out of his grasp. The boy cheered softly, before yelling at the unknown boy.

"You can do it sir!"

Naruto let his eyes can past all the peasants looking at them in shock and fear, before his eyes landed on a rotating mill barrel, one designed to be swung from one part of the mill to the other for faster grain movement. Grinning, he leapt upwards suddenly, grabbing onto it and swinging it all the way around.

Ino sat on the horse, which kept going without pause, and watched the boy do suicidal things, with only the hope he fell and broke his neck. The guards, unknowing of Naruto's plans, where caught off guard when he appeared swinging behind the back to guards. Kicking his feet out, Naruto caught both guards in the back, knocking them off their horses. Letting his feet land, one on the back of each horse, He drew his sword just as one of the guards swung at him.

Blocking the strike, while keeping his balance on the horses, Naruto swung back and watched with a satisfied smirk as the blade hit the man and threw him off his horse. Looking ahead, he saw his own horse was still galloping at full speed away from the men, and Ino's voice could be heard over the din of the horse's feet.

"You crazy boy! Get me off this retched horse this instant! Na-ru-tooooo!" She screamed, her mind overcome with the panic that she could no more control the horse she was on then one would control when the rains fell. Naruto grinned softly, his feet still on the two horses, as he deflected another sword strike and struck out against the man, his foot slamming into the man's face, sending him toppling forward.

Naruto leapt upwards, off the horse's back, to dodge a swing of a sword at his leg, and let said legs flash forward, catching the man full in the face. He watched as the guard's metal helmet buckled under the force of his strike, as the man fell backwards off his horse. Leaping forward onto that mans horse, Naruto caught his balance before almost falling off, and leaned backwards to dodge another strike of the guard in front of him. Almost losing his balance, Naruto let his hand creep outwards and push off the wall, allowing him to keep his balance while also giving him the forward momentum to lash his leg out and catch the offending guard in the stomach.

Looking ahead of him, Naruto saw a ladder, as well as the mill take a sharp left turn. Biting his lip, and taking a gamble, Naruto leapt upwards onto the ladder. His body vanished from the sight of the guards, who then turned forward. They figured the boy had made the smart choice and had merely decided to vanish among the crowed of the village, so they turned their full attention to

Ino watched the boy disappear, and thought for one second that she was finally, truly safe. Suddenly, the horse made a sharp left turn, and she was almost thrown off it. But she held on and low and behold they were now exiting out of the mill. Whimpering softly, she was at least glad the boy had decided that she wasn't worth the trouble, and had seemingly vanished into thin air.

Suddenly, behind her just as she exited the mill, she heard a crash. Looking behind her and up, she saw the young boy leap from a window on the second floor of the mill, and watched as he landed right in front of her on his horse. He turned, and grinned cheekily at her, before urging the horse onto even greater speeds. Ino looked on at him, dumbfounded and speechless, before she finally found her voice.

"Are you suicidal or something!" Naruto laughed, before looking over his shoulder. Two of the guards remained, the rest either knocked off by random objects they had failed to see, or by Naruto's own hand. Growling softly, Naruto looked ahead of him and saw naught but green fields, so he reached down to the pack strapped to the horse, and pulled out a bow. Placing one arrow in his mouth, and the other on the bow, he turned suddenly on the horse.

Ino, mid speech, suddenly found herself in a rather… intimate embrace with the young boy she had come to understand was without a doubt crazy. She felt his rather muscled chest against her own, and blushed a deep red before screaming.

"What on Earth do you think you are doing!" Naruto, however, just ignored her, and let his arms snake around her in a sort of faux hug. Drawing his bow string back, all the while ignoring her indigent screams at how she was being treated, he let one arrow fly, and watched it sink into one of the guards. Knocking the other arrow, he let that one fly too, only to watch in frustration as the last remaining guard got his shield up in time.

Growling out, Naruto turned back around, ignoring the sputtering remarks of the girl behind him. Urging his horse on once more, he turned back into the woods, and heard the horse behind him grow ever closer. Letting his eyes settle ahead of him, he saw a low hanging branch, and his mind sparked with an idea.

The guard behind him urged his horse on as fast as it would go, and was quickly gaining on the boy. Grinning, and thinking of the promotion he would surely receive for capturing the boy, he didn't notice the branch the boy had pulled back on his passing approaching him, till it was far too late.

Naruto heard the cry of alarm, and then the sound of a body hitting the ground, and grinned. Now free of the guards, Naruto let his horse slow slightly, but still kept it in a gallop. Checking his hip pouch, he felt the bread he had gotten from the boy in there firmly, if a bit squished. Sighing softly, he focused on putting as much distance between him and the downed guards as quickly as possible. He knew his horse, though well trained specifically to run for miles and miles without slowing down, couldn't hold a full speed gallop for more than thirty minutes, so he slowed down to let it rest some.

That's when Ino decided to let her presence be known.

"Are you utterly and completely insane! I could have died, you could have died! What in the name of the gods above where you thinking!" Naruto let his eyes travel behind him, quirking his eyebrow up in interest before speaking.

"Worried about me are you Fair Maiden? I'm touched." Ino blushed, before screaming in frustration.

"You are the single most infuriating person I have ever had the displeasure to meet!"

Naruto simply laughed.

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"What do you mean; you haven't been able to catch him? We breed these horses, purely, for the pursuit of targets! How could you have possibly been out run by a simple teenage boy?" Inoichi growled out, his voice a dangerous whisper. The head of the guard, his face swollen from when he had failed to see a post in his way before his horse stopped and threw him into it, spoke softly.

"The boy's skill on a horse is… Incredible. He managed to not only out ride me and our best riders, but lead them through a chase in a grain mill. He not only rode his own horse well, but after somehow managing to get behind us, rode our own horses as good as I've ever seen you ride. I am truly sorry My Lord, He was just… better." Inoichi let out a frustrated yell and threw his goblet against the wall.

"That Assassin has my DAUGHTER! I want you to find him, no matter how long it takes, and when you do bring him before me! He will answer to none but me…" Inoichi growled out, his breath labored in his chest from the anger he was feeling. The guard nodded once, before he turned and left quickly. Inoichi sighed, and let his body slump down into his throne. Rubbing his forehead, he let his thoughts run over what had happened the past few days, and how much it hurt to know he, as a father, was unable to protect his little girl.

She was supposed to be in the Great Castle of Konoha, but she had been delayed by reports of bandits in the outlying area. She had insisted that she could handle any and all trouble that could possibly come her way, but Inoichi had refused. He had, of course, been worried for his little girl, what father wouldn't be? That girl was his life, after his wife had died many years ago; he had taken it upon himself to be the best father he could possibly be.

And in one, foul, wretched swoop, his little girl was taken from him. By a boy, a boy her age no less! That was one of the reasons he was so… so… infuriated with what had happened. Who knows what that boy might do to his little girl, and if he wasn't above murdering people for money, then he most certainly wasn't above taking any and all forms of the female flesh even if they didn't want it. Sighing and feeling his body grow weak from lack of sleep, he looked upwards into the arches of the great hall.

"If you so much as harm one hair on my daughters head, my boy, I will personally skin you alive. Do you hear me! I'LL SKIN YOU ALIVE YOU WREATCH!" he screamed, mostly to himself than anyone else, but it sent some of the servants around him fleeing. No one wanted to be around any lord when they were in a bad mood, and his could be described as absolutely enraged. Sighing once more, Inoichi lifted himself off his bed, and without another word, left the great hall.

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It was getting late, and Naruto knew they wouldn't have the supplies to stay in the woods one more night. The bread he had gotten from the boy had been eaten for lunch, and with it the rest of their food and water. Sighing gently, he looked upwards and wondered what he was going to do. He had, unfortunately, broken all of the remaining arrows while in the chase with the guards, and the only two unbroken ones he had used. That put hunting out of the game, for no animal was going to let him get close enough to throw a knife at it. That and he had no string with which to lay snare traps. Therefore, he faced a large problem.

He needed to go to the nearest village to replenish his supplies, but he had no way of doing that while he still had this girl with him. Undoubtedly she would slip away the first chance she got, and in a crowded village it wouldn't be too hard. He couldn't even stay next to her the full time, for that may draw unwanted attention to them. The only way he would be able to do that would be—

He grinned.

Oh she wouldn't like it; in fact she would probably hate it and fight it with all her strength. That, he mused, was part of the reason he had chosen this option in the first place. Even if she fought it, it was one of the privileges of being the captor that it didn't matter if she hated it; she had to go along with it anyways. Turning his head to glance back at the girl, he grinned at her, making her look at him with slight trepidation.

"What are you planning now…?"

Just outside of the clearing they were in, a deer was grazing idly on the grass. It lived its life, unknowing and uncaring of the dangers that presented itself every day to him. Lifting its head, while chewing on the grass, it heard the sound of people nearby. Freezing in its place, he stood perfectly still.

"WHAT! NO! ABSOLUTLY NOT I REFUSE TO DO THAT! NOTHING YOU SAY OR DO WILL MAKE ME DO THAT!"

It fled.

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The Inn keeper of The Broken Goblet let his eyes rise upwards as the door swung open. His Inn, the only one in the small village, was packed to the brim as it was every night, and he had already gathered that everyone who was a regular was already there. So the sight of two teenagers walking in caused him slight pause, before he went back to scrubbing his goblet. Both of them walked up to him, hand in hand, before the boy spoke.

"My dear man, I am in need of room and food for tonight. Unfortunately I have no gold with which to pay." The Inn keeper scoffed slightly, before he spoke himself, his voice gruff.

"Then me Laddie', Yer' out'a luck ain't you?" The boy laughed jovially, before he leaned in slightly closer to the man and spoke.

"Perhaps, my good man, we could strike some kind of a deal. You see, my betroved and I are traveling, and we recently came upon a spot of bad luck when we were robbed in the dead of night." The Inn keeper raised his eye, allowing the boy to spin whatever tale it was he was telling. He would get no sympathy from him, he had families to feed, "But luckily, in my younger days, I was a traveling entertainer."

The Inn Keepers eyes perked up. Entertainers where a good thing to have in an Inn, and would drag many of those who had decided to forgo the Ale and Wine for the night in, for a chance to hear the young man play. It was a good way to make money, and to give the young man and his love a room and food for the night was no problem if they drew a large enough crowed to watch them. Setting the goblet he was cleaning down, the man looked at him and spoke.

"I'm listn'in."

Naruto grinned.

"I will, of course, play for room and board, but you must give us a door with a lock on it. My Fair Maiden has become slightly afraid sense the night we were robbed and I in no way want to put undue stress on her." The Inn Keeper nodded before he spit in his hand, and held it out to shake. The young man in front of him did the same, and they shook on it, sealing the deal.

"You mus' play' afor' ye' get fed Laddie'." The boy nodded, before he himself spoke, his hand traveling to the case at his side.

"Of course, if you will just direct me to a good place?" The Inn keeper nodded before he led him to a small stage built in the corner of the inn. Ino followed behind him, fuming silently at having to act as this ruffians love. But, she mused, she would do her best to do so, if only to keep the young boy happy and non-violent. Once they had sat down near the stage, and the Inn Keeper had left to go about his business, she turned to Naruto and spoke in a whisper.

"How on earth do you plan on pulling this off? You can't fake being an entertainer." She watched as he fiddled with the case he had brought in with her, before slowly drawing out a guitar, its strings gleaming in the night light. She felt her eyes widen softly, before she caught his voice.

"Who said I was faking?"

The Inn grew silent as the young boy pulled out a guitar. Chairs shuffled forward and calls for more ale were heard in the silence. They were all interested and hopeful that tonight would be better than normal; an entertainer was a rare commodity. The boy took his place on the stage, careful to keep Ino near him. Letting his hands fall to his guitar, the boy looked forward at the people gathering around him.

"Ladies and gentlemen, if I may introduce myself. My name is Naruto, and I'm traveling with my beloved Saki over there." He smiled a genuine smile that caught the eyes of many as he looked at the pretty blonde girl sitting at his feet. Many people smiled softly, remembering a time when they too were in love, unaware of the lie the blonde was unfolding in front of them, "Now, my first song is one many of you may know… The Cave."

At this, many people cheered softly. Of course they knew it, it was a folk song many of them had grown up hearing, but was a good song none the less. Settling into their chairs, they waited to see if the boy could pull it off.

Naruto took a deep breath, letting his fingers settle on the strings of his guitar, and Ino watched him with a hint of doubt in their eyes. First an assassin, then a master horse rider and now a traveling entertainer? This boy was full of surprises, but she still held out that he wouldn't be able to do it.

Suddenly, music floated into the Inn as the boy played, softly at first, his fingers dancing along the frets and strings of the guitar as he smiled. Ino, watching the boy, felt herself take in a soft breath, her eyes growing wide, and only to grow wider as the boy started to sing.

_It's empty in the valley of your heart_

_The sun it raises slowly as you walk_

_Away from all the fears and _

_All the faults you've left behind_

Ino felt her breath hitch at the sound of his voice as it floated above, and she wasn't the only one. He sang with a majestic quality about him, his voice floating along the air as if it was forever meant to be there. It was soft, and the melody it sang was one of pure beauty. She stared, entrapped, at the boy in front of her as he let his fingers dance along the strings.

_The harvest left no food for you to eat_

_You cannibal you meat eater you see_

_But I have seen the same_

_I know the shame in your defeat._

The beat picked up suddenly, as many people started whistling, and a few joined in. Naruto grinned as he played and sang, and Ino found herself marveling at the boy. Indeed, she was his captive, but still, to be so talented at entertaining, why was he an assassin in the first place? She didn't know. Letting her eyes gaze around, she saw many people start to stomp their feet in time with the beat.

_But I will hold on hope_

_And I won't let you choke_

_On the noose around your neck_

_And I'll find strength in pain_

_And I will change my ways_

_I'll know my name as it's called again_

With this, everyone in the Inn started stomping their feet to the music, and Ino just watched as the young boy sang with a smile on his face. She was marveling at everyone, at him, at how this young boy could capture and hold the attention of so many. Thinking about it brought the smallest of smiles to her face, as she watched the boy go through his song with joy. The Inn was full of activity, as more and more people started arriving, hearing of the traveling entertainer that was currently playing in the Inn. The Inn Keeper himself was busy, listening to the music and moving around re-filling goblets and bringing food. People where stomping the ground in time with the beat, and more than a few where singing along with him.

Ino stared at the boy as he made his way through the song, before she felt a presence move in next to her. Turning her head, she found another girl around her age sitting next to her, staring at the young man in front of her. The girl turned her head slightly, before speaking to Ino over the din of the music.

"What an amazing boy, you truly are lucky to have one such as him." Ino looked at the girl, and bit back the urge to start screaming she wasn't his love. Turning her head back to the boy, she decided at that moment that there was much more to this Naruto then met the eye, and she settled on the only thing she could say.

"I am, aren't I?" The girl giggled softly, before turning her attention back to Naruto and swooning. Ino sighed gently under her breath, as Naruto finished his first song. A few patrons of the Inn walked forward, and dropped a few gold and silver pieces in his case, to which Naruto bowed his head and thanked them profusely. Taking up another song, this one much more upbeat and fast paced, he grinned as everyone in the Inn started to stomp their feet. Ino laughed, losing herself in the moment, and clapped along with the others, as more than a few people got up and started to dance.

He played through three more songs, before finally standing and speaking to the gathered crowed.

"My dear friends, you have been far to kind to one such as me, and it saddens me to say that I must take a break for now. For I am Hungry! And a man needs to fill his belly when it calls." He said with a mischievous grin, to which many people laughed. Taking the money out of his case, he counted it before placing his guitar back into it, and returned to Ino's side. Said girl was looking at him in a slightly different light as he sat down, to which he addressed.

"Ahhh, my Fair Maiden, you mustn't look at me with such eyes, one might think we truly are in love." Naruto said, smirking softly as Ino blushed and glared at him. Ino pouted softly, before turning around and flipping her hair, speaking in the same low tone he did to avoid others hearing.

"I know not of what you speak, you will still be hanged for your crimes against my father, if it's the last thing I do." Naruto laughed at this, before suddenly looking up. Ino glanced to where he was looking, seeing the Inn Keeper approach them with two large bowls of something that smelled absolutely ravishing. Placing them down in front of them, the Inn Keeper spoke.

"Me Fam'us Lamb Stew! Enje'y it, me boy, ye' ern'd it!" Naruto laughed softly, before thanking the Inn keeper and turning to Ino.

"Enjoy it my love, for it was a hard earned meal!" Ino groaned, before settling down to eat her meal. Indeed, it was good, not as good as the meals she ate in the castle, but was still delicious none the less. Naruto ate his with gusto, and when they were both done he returned to playing.

While he played though his songs, Ino watched him, and decided that there were worse things then traveling with this boy.

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Naruto sighed as he closed and locked the door behind him. Ino had already declared the bed as hers, and said with no uncertain terms that captive or not, she was taking it for the night. He decided, after her marvelous performance as pretending to be his love, that she deserved the small commodity that was a bed. Chuckling lightly, he pocketed the only key to the door, thus insuring that she wouldn't escape while he slept. Yawning lightly, he took off his cloak and laid it on the ground, before settling into it.

He lay there for a few moments, before Ino's voice broke him out of his thoughts.

"Why do you do it…? Kill people for a living. You could easily just be a traveling entertainer you know…" Ino's voice was soft, filled with the confusion that today's events had firmly put into her. Naruto let his eyes travel upwards, and was silent for a moment before he spoke.

"Because it's what I was born to do." Ino felt her brow cress at that, before she decided to just let it go and get some sleep. Naruto lay on the floor for some time, long after he could tell she was asleep by her steady and even breath, his own thoughts on why exactly he did what he did. Grumbling softly, he turned over in his cloak, and let his head fall down.

Tonight was exhausting, and no time for thinking such thoughts.

Letting his eyes close, he slowly let his thoughts consume him, till he too fell asleep.

-Eastern Mountains of the Kingdom of Kumo-

"You mean to tell me that he not only didn't kill the objective, he kidnapped his daughter?" The voice spoke. Itachi remained calm on the outside, but inside he was sweating. He knew that Naruto had entrusted him to this task, but that didn't mean he had to like it. Pein stared down at him from where he sat, and Itachi had the feeling of being incredibly small in front of the man.

"Yes, My Lord. He assures me he has everything under control and the girl is simply traveling with him until such a time that he can exit the country. He wants you to know he will not let this impact him in any way." Pein growled softly at that, his own mind a torrent of thoughts.

Unknown to everyone in the organization except for him and Konan, There organization wasn't as free lance as he led everyone to believe. In truth, they served the Dark Wizard Madara, whom they were both eternally indebted to. He had commanded the death of Inoichi, who was one of the top strategic minds of the country, for his coming invasion. To hear that Naruto, one of his top assassins, had failed to not only kill the man, but then had done something as reckless and foolish as kidnapping the man's daughter, was distressing in the least.

Waving his hand, he dismissed Itachi, who walked away without a sound. Sitting there in contemplative silence for awhile, Pein thought over the plans he could go through with to rectify this misjudgment. Growling as he came up with nothing, he stiffened slightly when he felt an arm wrap its way around him, before settling down upon seeing Konan behind him.

"It'll be okay love, we'll think of something. Madara will not be pleased to hear about this though." Konan spoke softly into his ear, making Pein nod his head in agreement.

Not please indeed.

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So what you all think? I greatly appreciate reviews, so please leave some. Next time, a run in with Bandits!


	3. That which Stalks the Night

Hey guys, sorry it took me so long to update, my computer failed on me. I had to wait to get a new one and everything, but I'm back. And here's the next chapter of Once Upon a Time.

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Once Upon a Time

Chapter 3

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"What do you mean, he kidnapped her?" Pein looked forward into the darkness, his body ridged as he heard the voice of his master speak. He felt like shuffling from foot to foot, but he beat down the urge. He couldn't afford to show weakness in front of this man, doing so might just spell his demise. He took a step forward, and looked into the shadows at the head of the table he stood in front of. Nodding gently, Pein cleared his throat and spoke.

"Yes, it appears she got the drop on him when he was attempting to flee, and he had no choice but to take her captive."

There was silence for a few seconds, before a voice yelled out in rage, and a plate shattered against the wall. Letting his eyes stay on the food that had fallen to the ground, Pein held back a flinch when the man started to scream.

"Foolish boy! He knows not what he has done. Killing that girls father was only part of the plan!" Pein hid his surprise at hearing that, but didn't question his master any more then he had to. So he st there, in silence, while he waited to hear what had to be done.

"Leave me." The voice spoke after awhile and Pein acknowledged as fast as he could. No one liked to be around Madara when he was in a foul mood. Madara sat in contemplative silence for a second, before he spoke into the darkness.

"Where are you snake? I know you're here, I can smell your vileness over the food."

A laugh greeted his words, and out of the shadows slinked a tall pale black haired man. The man bowed in front of Madara, before speaking himself, letting his eyes rise to meet him.

"What do you require of me lord?"

Madara looked at the man in front of him, biting back his disgust, before he spoke.

"Deploy the Valkori, Orochimaru, and bring me that girl." Orochimaru nodded, and bowed, before slinking back into the shadows, his voice echoing off the walls.

"Kukukuku, as you wish my lord. What of the boy?" Madara shifted lightly, thinking to himself, before he answered the man's question.

"Do not harm him more than necessary."

"Of course not, my lord."

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_ He could hear the whispers. They beckoned him, called to him, urging him forever forward in this endeavor. The complacency, simplicity, normality of life was something he had never, and would never know. He was destined to walk, to bring chaos into the world which feared it so, and the whispers… they urged him to, screamed in that hollowed dead whisper for him to do it, to forsake all he had known and all he would ever know, and bring about the destruction they so desired._

_ He could feel it, consume him and bring him into its darkness, whispering sweet murder into his ear, as his own blood dripped from his hand. Glancing down, he idly noticed the dark blood red blade in his grasp, its metal reflecting no light, seeming to scream for death and destruction. He could feel it, vibrating, calling, urging him to take lives. He let one hand rise to his head, gripping it, forcing himself to block out the whispers that called so sweetly into his ear._

_ "No…" He fell to his knees, the blade still held firmly in his grasp. He couldn't let it go, no matter how hard he tried. He could feel it pulsating, the grip hot in his hand. He shook his head quickly, feeling his grip on reality shake. Everything seemed… so blurry. What was once so important to him, the people that where once so important to him, seemed to slip out of his minds grasp like water, falling to the dry earth, and away from his memories._

_ "No… you can't make me… I won't…" he whispered, his eyes growing wide with the pain, oh the pain. He could feel it, bouncing around in his skull like some demented echo, the whispers echoing off it in a sweet symphony of destruction. He tried so hard to let it go, to let the blade go, but it wouldn't budge. It grew hotter, seeming to amass power from his pain, and it burned hot into his skin. Shaking his head fiercely, he screamed into the heavens._

_ "No! I won't! I won't become a demon, I won't become a killer! Not for you, not for Him, not for anyone!" He screamed, letting his head rise upwards to the heavens, the whispers growing louder, until finally… they united, and one, hallow, empty voice spoke into his head._

_ "My my you poor soul, so eager for death, for the sweet callous relief of the blade. You yearn for it, call for it, and yet… it does not answer you. Become a demon? My sweet child, you're already a demon. You live for bloodshed, to feel your cold steel slide through another's body, to watch the light fade from their eyes. So complacent, so set in your ways, you fail to see what is right in front of you." The voice spoke, its whispers so sweet and so true in his mind. He felt his grip on the blade slacken, his body rise from its kneeling position, as he looked at the girl in front of him, "You're friends? They are nothing, they mean nothing… and yet you fight? So, it would seem that it was too much to hope you would rise above this, rise above the expectations of those around you. This pain, this hate… I can feel it, you know. Growing in you, moving in you like a snake in the bush, cold coiled and just waiting to strike. So willing and so able to bring about the destruction of countless lives, you were destined to fall into this. To be the one to bring about great change, great death, and leave the world trembling in your wake."_

_ Her eyes wide, she was screaming but… He couldn't make out the sound. He strained his hearing and yet, he couldn't seem to hear her. Her lips made motions he couldn't understand, and he felt himself walking towards her in a slow and steady gate. Her eyes grew wide with fear, her body, broken and bleeding, pushed backwards to escape him. Yet he walked forward, his gate steady and self assured, his mind clouded over by the sweet whisper. She had run out of space to back away, sliding her body against the wall and folding in on herself, trying to shy away from the horror. He looked at her with cold, apathetic eyes, when suddenly he stopped once more, and raised one hand to his head. Eyes growing wide, he threw back his head, the force causing his neck to bend upwards, as he screamed. He screamed and screamed, his throat growing raw from the noise, till he could scream no more. Putting both hands up to his head, the glade still so hot in his grasp, he whispered with wide, red eyes._

_ "Get out of my head…" The voice cackled, before it spoke one final time, just as the strength left his body. He watched as the blade rose, high over his head, as he looked down at the girl, unable and unwilling to recognize who was in front of him. Her eyes widened, the horror in them growing, as she looked at him and started to sob. _

_ "You foolish boy, don't you see? There is no one in your head. I am merely the personification of your deepest darkest desires. I am no one you are unfamiliar with, no one that you do not already know. I am you, the real you. Don't you see child? There is no one else here…"_

_ The blade fell._

_ "Only you… And me."_

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Naruto awoke, his body shooting upwards as cold sweat matted his eyebrow. He took in a deep breath to calm his beating heart, and then let his eyes roam around the room slowly. Taking in the still sleeping figure of Ino, he sighed and sat up. Letting his head fall downward, into his hands, he wiped the remaining sweat from his brow, before he sat up and stretched.

Dawn was still a few hours away, but he was used to not getting much sleep. Moving silently to the window, he looked out it cautiously, taking in the narrow, empty street. His eyes flitted slowly over it, looking this way and that, before he finally stepped away and let his thoughts finally roam to the dream he had just had.

It had felt… so real. He could only remember bits and pieces now that he was awake, but he remembered the terror he felt, the fear he felt in the pit of his stomach. Fear so great and so real, it drove him to wake. Sighing gently, he went to go lay back down when he stopped, his easy twitching slightly.

A noise, outside in the hall way, is what caused his hesitation. Standing there, Naruto strained his hearing, and picked up the small footsteps converging outside of his doorway. Eyes narrowing softly, he moved to his pack and drew his short blades. The cold steal left the scabbards with a barely audible hiss, and Naruto slowly moved forward to crouch in front of the door. Watching, silently, as the door handle turned, he readied himself. He let his body slink down, placing all his weight on the balls of his feet, and got ready for the moment the door started to open.

The door began to open, and Naruto launched himself forward, slamming into the door and slamming it back onto whoever had opened it. Ino shot up at the noise, her eyes quickly scanning around the room, still red from sleep. Streatching gently, and letting out a stifled yawn, she mumbled softly.

"Naruto… Was goi—"Whatever she was going to say, was cut off, as the door burst open and several men started to move into the room. Naruto growled softly, taking in the appearance of the men, before he stood up slightly.

"Who are you? What do you want with me and my betroved?" The men glanced at each other, before they all laughed softly. One of them, apparently braver then the rest moved forward and spoke to Naruto, his voice hauntingly deep.

"We come for the girl." Naruto grinned softly, before swinging one of his blades behind his back, and holding it in a reverse grip. Letting his body settle into a stance, he idly noticed Ino back into the corner behind him before he spoke, his voice rough and loud over the clinking of their armor.

"Then you'll have to go through me." The men all grinned, before one of them launched himself at Naruto. Spinning to deflect the blade coming at him, he stepped behind the man and thrust one of his swords backwards, grinning as he heard the satisfied crunch of the man falling. The other men growled, before they all converged on him, and his life became a blur.

He felt the heat rise inside of him, the rush of battle, and Naruto felt the smallest of smiles grace his face.

Twisting around one of the sword strikes, Naruto lashed out with his blade, letting it slide across the man's throat, before he had to lean impossibly far back to dodge another sword strike. Using the momentum from his backwards acrobatic move, he flipped onto his hands, and sent his foot upwards into the chin of one of the attacking men. Pushing off with his hands, he launched himself over another thrust, before he landed and twisted, his foot shooting out to kick one of the men in the head.

Naruto grinned, watching them fall, before he turned to face one of the men. He lashed out with one of his swords, which the man barely blocked, before he slid forward on his feet, and head butted the man roughly. Watching him stumble backwards, Naruto turned and deflected another sword strike, before reaching forward and grabbing the offending mans arm. Pulling him forward, he used the man's sword to spear someone behind him, as well as using his own sword to spear the man in front of him. Twisting once more, seeing the man he had head butted come up on him, Naruto dipped his body low, and pulled out a knife. Settling it in his grasp, he threw it suddenly, growling as he did so, and watched the knife sink into the man's skull. The man's head snapped backwards, his eyes widening, as his mouth let out a weak gurgle, before he slid to the ground.

Turning, he faced the only remaining man, who had stood back and watched the proceedings with a bored gaze. Shooting himself at the man, Naruto let his hand collect around his throat, and pushed him against the wall.

"Who do you work for!" Naruto growled, his eyes flashing crimson slightly. The man just stared at him, before slowly, hauntingly, he began to laugh. Naruto growled, and thrust his sword into the man's gut, only to frown as the man laughed harder. Naruto's nose twitched, and he picked up a foul, retched scent, and leapt backwards, staring at the man in front of him in horror.

The man's body was bulging outwards, his form becoming distorting and growing rapidly. His nose suddenly fell off, smoke rising from where it fell on the floor, and a putrid scent rising from the gaping hole in his face. Naruto watched, too shocked to attack, as the man in front of him suddenly exploded in a gory mess, covering him and much of the room in blood.

When he looked back at where the man stood, he cursed under his breath. There in front of him stood a beast, the body of a man, covered in fur, with the head of a boar. It grunted once, before it reached behind itself and pulled a battle axe from its back, which it held dangerously in front of him. Naruto raised his blades in front of him, growling softly as his mind registered what was in front of him.

Valkori. Wretched, emotionless beasts, they had become the main foot soldier and infantry man for the Dark Wizard Madara in the last Great War. Ten times stronger than a man, with no concept of pain, they where a fearsome enemy and Naruto was not happy about the fact that one had shown up here. Nor was it lost on him that someone had covered the beast in magic to conceal its form, the only question he had was who?

The Valkori roared out at him, before it charged. Swinging its axe at Naruto's mid section, it watched as it's pray jumped up and over the strike, and landed on his side. Naruto swung his sword out, opening a gash on the creature's side, but was unprepared for the beast to ignore it and swing its hand at him; back fisting him threw the wall in his room, into the adjourning room.

Naruto groaned and sat up, his eyes adjusting from the pain. He bit his lip softly and fought through it, his eyes moving to see if he had disturbed anyone. Around him, the room was covered in blood, the occupants obviously slaughtered to avoid anyone helping Naruto and Ino. The beast roared from his room, before it suddenly leaped at him, covering the distance easily. Naruto leapt to the side to avoid the axe that would have cleaved his skull open, before he had to let his body drop to the floor to avoid the follow up strike at his mid section.

'_That__one__woulda__cleaved__me__in__two.__'_ Naruto thought to himself as he leapt up from his position, thrusting his sword forward. It caught the beast in the stomach, to which it roared and viciously kicked Naruto in the chest. The boy lost his grip on the sword and flew backwards, once more landing in his room, while the beast just growled and yanked the blade out, before snapping it in half.

Ino watched, petrified, as this beast took apart someone whom was arguably one of the most deadly persons she had ever met. She didn't know what, or who, it was, but she just wanted to be rid of it. Rushing to Naruto's aid, she helped him to his feet, and watched the beast stare at them from the other room.

"Are you okay?" Her concern for his well being wasn't from caring for him, but simply the fact that as it stood, he was most defiantly the lesser of two evils. Naruto muttered something under his breath, which to Ino sounded like 'that hurt', but she couldn't be sure. Naruto glanced at the girl beside him, before he pushed her back towards the corner and looked at her with fiery eyes.

"Stay there!" Naruto turned his attention back to the beast, which had decided to finally make a move. Growling once more, Naruto leapt back to avoid an axe swing, before bringing up his arms to block a kick from the beast. Feeling his bones protest, Naruto flung his arms out and pushed against the beast's leg, causing it to stumble. Capitalizing on this, Naruto leapt onto the beast and thrusts his sword deep into its neck, grinning as he watched it let out something akin to a scream.

"Got you good, didn't I you ugly mother Fuc—" His words where cut off, as the beast kicked him back and off him, sending him upwards into the air to hit the ceiling, before falling to land on his back. Naruto shot to his feet, and watched with wide eyes as the beast stood, ignoring the blade in its neck. It charged once more, and Naruto leapt above the axe swing again. But having seen this many times, the beast swiftly launched its massive war axe upwards, so Naruto had to extend his feet and plant them on the wall mid air, and push off.

Using his momentum, he tackled the beast to the ground, before rolling off it just as it regained footing. Sliding his body under an axe strike, before rolling under its legs to avoid the follow up, Naruto came up behind the beast and slipped a knife out. Planting it in the beasts back, he twisted it hard, before he was launched away by the Valkori rushing backwards hard against him. He hit the wall hard, before he slumped downwards.

His mind was cloudy from that last hit, and he could feel his eyes droop into unconsciousness. The world around him blurred and lost focus, and slowly, he slipped into slumber. The last words he heard, seemed to vibrate around his skull, repeating themselves endlessly.

"**Pathetic**…"

Ino watched, horrified, as the beast glanced once more at Naruto, before it started towards her. Folding farther into the corner, she prayed. For her father, for the guards, for anyone to save her from this wretched beast. But no help was coming, and she knew that, and so she did the only thing she could think of doing.

Leaping upwards suddenly, as the beast drew near; she picked up one of the blades the men Naruto had killed had dropped, before shoving it viciously into the chest of the monster. The Valkori looked at her, Naruto's blade still sticking out of his neck, without even acknowledging the attack. Ino felt her eyes widen even more, before she mumbled out softly.

"No…No please…No…"

Suddenly, a terrible presence filled the room. It seemed to pull her in and suffocate her, the air grew hot around her and hard to breath, and she fell to her knees. She had never felt such an evil presence, but she could tell it wasn't from the beast in front of her. Looking behind him, to where Naruto had fallen, she moved her hand to her mouth to cover her gasp of surprise.

The boy stood behind the beast, his whole figure glowing in a red aura, as he looked at the Valkori with blood red eyes. The beast turned, suddenly, and let its axe fly outwards at the boys head, but Naruto ducked under it, and punched the beast hard in the gut. The Valkori lost its wind, and folded over, to which Naruto drove his knee into the beast's head, before turning around and kicking it into a wall. Watching the beast rise, Naruto growled out, his voice heavy and more bestial then it was before.

"**Round****two**." The beast growled, and then roared, as it charged at him. Swinging its axe at the blondes head, it watched as said blonde leaned backwards, avoiding the strike, while leaping into the air. Naruto Let his foot launch outwards, catching the beast in the face, and with a force surprising from one so small, he sent it flying backwards into the wall. Wiping his bloodied lip, Naruto stood straight up, and watched the beast stumble to its feet, before motioning him forward.

The Valkori roared, the sound filling the room and making Ino shiver, before it charged at Naruto and let its axe swing at his head. Naruto ducked, sliding smoothly under the blade, and let his fist rocket out, catching the Valkori in the stomach. The beast doubled over from the impact, and Naruto reached up. Gripping his blade, still in the beast's neck, he yanked it sharply to the left, and was instantly covered in a spray of foul smelling black blood. The motion ripped the Valkori's head off, and Naruto watched it drop to the ground. Sighing gently, he suddenly felt very tired, his body overcome with exhaustion. Glancing at Ino, he spoke, his voice losing the sharp edge it had had seconds ago, as the power around him faded.

"Fair Maiden, are you alright?" Ino stared at him, before she nodded dumbly. Naruto walked to her, offered his hand, and when she took it started to lead her out of the room. But she stopped, and pulled away softly.

"Why did that… Thing want me? And what was it?" She spoke, her voice low but clearly showing her disgust at the creature that had attacked them. Naruto was about to respond when he smelt that same disgusting smell, and his eyes widened. The men on the ground all started steaming, there bodies contorting into shapes not meant to be, and he quickly tugged on Ino's hand. She hesitated, watching the bodies with wide, fearful eyes, and Naruto tugged again.

"No time, I'll explain later, we must leave now Fair Maiden." Ino sensed the urgency in his voice, and for once complied without a sound. They took off, Ino's eyes catching sight of a dead body on the floor every once in awhile, including the Inn Keepers, before they finally reached outside. Just when they did, they heard several vicious roars from the room they had just occupied, and Naruto tensed. Leaping up onto his horse, he pulled Ino onto it quickly, before urging his horse forward.

As soon as the horse started to move, the upper wall of the Inn exploded, and out of the wall jumped two Valkori. The horse took off, its eyes wide with primal fear, as it raced to escape these monsters. Naruto looked over his shoulder, and watched as the Valkori dropped on all fours and took off after them. Urging his horse on further, he watched as the distance between them and the Valkori remained the same. His horse was going full speed, but it would be able to out distance the Valkori, who also appeared to be going full speed.

Naruto growled, urging his horse on faster, and glanced over his shoulder once more. At the rate they were going, the Valkori would be on him in a about a minute, and both him and they knew it. Racking his brain for a plan, Naruto turned back forward, his eyes scanning the darkness that permeated the area in front of them. Something moved, in the forest, and his eyes instantly shot towards it.

It was too late.

Out of the darkness, a large shape came flying out, and roughly tackled Naruto off his horse and too the ground. Immediately, the other two Valkori were upon him, and Naruto lashed out with feet and hands at the beast in front of him. Off to his right, he could hear Ino's screams of terror, and he fought harder. Finally able to get his feet under the beast, he pushed upwards as hard as he could, and heaved the Valkori off of him. Shooting to his feet, he turned in the direction of Ino's scream, and dashed at the two Valkori closing in on her. His body screamed at him to stay down, the exhaustion of the previous fight still apparent on his form, but her scream drove him on.

He approached one of the Valkori, and swung at its head with all his might.

He never even saw the furred claw shoot outwards at him, catching him in the head, and sending him crashing into a tree. He groaned, loudly, and rolled slightly, but couldn't find the strength to get up. Struggling to his knees, he heard Ino scream again.

He fought against the pain, his whole body seeming to seize up from the effort that it took just to rise himself onto his feet, and finally managed to push himself onto his shaky feet. Swaying was he stood; he tried to focus on the objects in front of him, and fumbled for his blade.

"No! Naruto! Help me! Don't let them take me!" Ino screamed as tears streaming from her eyes, while the two Valkori took one last look at Naruto, before making their way off. Naruto screamed out, looking in her direction, before yelling into the now empty area, his mind swimming.

"I'll find you! I swear I will!"

He stumbled, his vision swimming, the world around him contorting and fading from view. Falling to his knees, he threw up, and fell onto his side. Laying there, the darkness moving in around him, he could have sworn he heard a voice, somewhere far off, chuckle deeply into his ears.

His vision faded to black, and he didn't even notice the arms pulling him up, and taking him away.

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Several Hours Later

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He groaned.

Gods the pain he felt, it was all around him. His whole body ached, in places he didn't even know could ache, and blearily he opened his eyes. His memory was blurry, but slowly, lying in that bed, he remembered the job at the castle, taking the girl captive, running, the Valko—

He stopped. They had taken the girl. Suddenly, all the pain left him, and he sat up in a hurry.

Or at least, he tried to, but as soon as he put all his weight forward to sit up, he felt a sharp stabbing pain in his wrist, and was forced back down. Letting his eyes travel to his wrists, he found that he was bound to where ever he was laying. Blinking, he let his eyes wander around the room, and then frowned.

He was in a fucking cell.

"Ahhh awake at last I see. Good, Lord Inoichi wants a word with you. Up you get prisoner, no funny business now." A Voice spoke, n he looked outside of his cell bars to see a man, standing there and grinning at him. The man walked into the cell, and unbound his arms.

Naruto leapt up, feeling himself become free of his chains, and went to lash out at the man. As soon as he stood, his vision swam from a sudden stab of pain, and he stumbled lightly. The man lashed out at him with the butt of his spear, and caught him in the stomach, causing Naruto to bend over and cough in pain. The man laughed, and hauled him to his feet, before dragging him from his cell door.

"No more funny business now" He said, before laughter filled the area. Naruto growled deeply, letting himself get dragged, and let his eyes wander around the hall ways, trying to memorize the way back. He thought he caught a glimpse of a door to the courtyard on his way, but he wasn't sure, and not wanting to act too suspicious, he didn't try and check. The man dragged him for awhile, a few guards joining him along the way, till he was in the Audience chamber of the castle.

Inoichi looked down at the boy dragged in front of him; his face twisted in rage, and watched him. Naruto looked up at the man, standing on his feet, and leveled him with a glare. One of the guards growled softly, and hit the back of his legs with his spear. Naruto fell to his knees as the guard spoke, his voice directly behind Naruto.

"Bow before your better's boy." Naruto allowed himself a glance over his shoulder, looking the guard square in the face, before he spoke.

"What was that?" He let a grin grace his face as the guard stepped closer. The guard leaned in, his mouth next to Naruto's ear, and began to shout.

"I said Bow to your Betters Bo—Ugrk." Naruto roughly head butt him, sending him tumbling. Leaping upwards, he shot his foot outwards at the man who had dragged him, causing him to double over. Slipping under the outstretched arms of another guard, he lowered himself and tackled the guard. His head hit the guard's stomach, and he felt the guards legs wrap around him from the force.

The guard hit the ground, and Naruto let his chained hands lash out, double hammer fisting the guy in the face repeatedly. Suddenly, he felt weight on him, and he was tackled to the ground by the remaining guards in attendance. There were shouts and a brief scuffle, before finally they restrained Naruto. Inoichi looked on from his chair, before speaking to the head of his guards.

"Do you have him now?" the man looked away sheepishly, as Inoichi rubbed his head. Naruto spit on the floor in front of him, before speaking to Inoichi.

"Lemme out'a these chains and we'll see exactly who has who old man."

For that, he received a whack to the back of his head.

Inoichi sighed, and spoke, his voice loud and commanding through the room.

"Okay, enough of that. I want him coherent enough to tell me exactly where my daughter is." His eyes lit with rage as he spoke, his gaze leveled directly onto Naruto, who glared right back. This man couldn't scare him, he had been around people far scarier for the majority of his life, and he could stand this guy easily. Inoichi motioned him forward, and when he didn't comply, sighed and motioned to the guards, who dragged him to the foot of the lord.

"Now, young man, you are going to tell me where my daughter is, or you're going to have a very unpleasant stay here in my castle." Naruto felt his eyes widen slightly, as he looked at the man in front of him, before he looked away and whispered.

"Valkori…"

Inoichi felt his eyes widen slightly at the name, and he sat up in his chair and let his eyes gaze at the young man. Inoichi felt his respect for the boy grow slightly more when he didn't so much as flinch, enemy of the kingdom or not.

"What did you say…?" Inoichi stared at the boy in front of him, who was biting his lip. Finally, after a period of silence, Naruto spoke again.

"The Valkori took her. I was going to release her once I had escaped from your territory, and let her find her own way back. But then, when we were In Yokitomo, we were staying the night at an inn, " Naruto shuffled gently seeing Inoichi glare at him with even more hatred, before he felt his anger spike, "Oh come off it, I'm an honorable man. I wouldn't take your daughters innocence like that.

Inoichi relaxed slightly, before he motioned Naruto to continue.

"We were attacked, that night, by a group of men. I fought them off, and killed them… but then… One changed into a Valkori, and almost killed me. I managed to fight it off and escape with Ino, but by that time the others were transforming. We ran, and obviously didn't make it, and after they caught up with us they knocked me out… and they took her."

Inoichi slumped back in his chair, despair running through his body at the thought of his little girl being held captive by those beasts. He let his mind wander over what the boy had told him, before voicing a question.

"Well why her? Why would the Valkori want to take my daughter…?" He said, half to himself and half to the boy in front of him. He wasn't expecting an answer, and thus was surprised when the boy in front of him provided him with one.

"I can't answer that, but I can tell you the Valkori were not the ones who took her." Inoichi looked at the boy, and motioned him to continue, "Someone, a powerful wizard or something, had to have put a spell on them to disguise their true form. Valkori are pretty much mindless beasts, they have no Magical ability of their own. So the question you should be asking is who are controlling the Valkori."

The implications were not lost on Inoichi, but many of the guards looked on in confusion. The only known wizard to control the Valkori was Madara, but he was long dead. Or so was the belief. Either way, if another wizard had gained the power to influence the mind like Madara himself had, then it spelled far more trouble than just getting his daughter back. Rubbing his head, he settled back into his throne, and thought of what he was going to do.

A long period of silence stretched on in the chamber, and Naruto bit his lip idly. He accepted that he was probably going to die, he had tried to assassinate one of minor royal blood after all, but still he waited with baited breath to hear the outcome of his fate. Inoichi, after what seemed like an eternity, cleared his throat and spoke, his strong voice filling the chamber.

"You… what is your name?" Naruto looked at him, tilted his head, and then responded.

"Naruto."

Inoichi waited, before it was apparent the boy wasn't going to add a surname, and then spoke.

"Very well Naruto, you will remain here in the castle until we decide what to do with you. Guards, take him to the dungeon." The guards nodded, and started dragging Naruto back. Naruto bit his lip, his promise to Ino coming to the front of his mind, and he started to struggle.

"No… No no no! Let me go after her! It's my fault she's gone, let me go save her! I promise you I will bring her back to you safe and sound." The guards ignored his pleas, and continued dragging him backwards, when suddenly Inoichi's strong voice froze him in his spot.

"Wait." The Guards stopped. Naruto turned and watched as the man he had tried to kill rose from his seat and walked in front of him. Looking at Naruto with cold eyes, he spoke.

"Let you go save her? It is because of you that my daughter is now in the hands of beasts. Let you go save her indeed, I would rather see you hung and quartered for your crimes. Thanks to you, I will never see my daughter again. Take him away."

Naruto said nothing else.

It was a few hours later, sitting in his cell, that Naruto came to the conclusion that he probably wouldn't see another friendly face for the remainder of his life, and that he was most likely gonna die.

Which was why, hours later, when he blearily woke himself up, he was so surprised to hear another voice come from in his cell.

"How Troublesome… You're awake."

He turned his head, straining his eyes to see into the darkness of his cell. He could barely make out, in the other corner of the cell, a boy about his age, his hair set up in his head.

The first thought Naruto had, also happened to be the first words he spoke to the boy.

"Hey, your head looks like a Pineapple."

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End Chapter 3

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So there you have it guys, And I'm already working on chapter 4 : P lol I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it, and If any of you saw what has happened coming please tell me, means I need to be more… How shall we say this, discrete in what I'm going to be doing. Next chapter should be up in a couple of days. Read and Review!

Next time: Jail Break with the Lazy kid.


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